U.S. patent application number 15/354696 was filed with the patent office on 2017-03-09 for system for laying out and installing a solar array.
The applicant listed for this patent is LaserLine Mfg., Inc.. Invention is credited to Rick Grover.
Application Number | 20170067220 15/354696 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46199554 |
Filed Date | 2017-03-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170067220 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grover; Rick |
March 9, 2017 |
SYSTEM FOR LAYING OUT AND INSTALLING A SOLAR ARRAY
Abstract
A system for installing an array of pilings for an array of
solar panels is highly accurate and efficient. The system includes
a horizontal laser and a rotating vertical laser that are mounted
on a first piling and aligned with a target on a second piling on
the opposite side of the array. An alignment template is placed
against a piling and aligned with the vertical rotating laser. The
aligned template provides a designated location where the next
piling is driven. A hammer target on the pile driver allows the
installer to precisely install the next piling. After installation,
the next piling is measured for accuracy and if errors are found,
an alignment bracket is used to correct the error. The process is
repeated until the array of pilings is complete.
Inventors: |
Grover; Rick; (Honolulu,
HI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LaserLine Mfg., Inc. |
Redmond |
OR |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46199554 |
Appl. No.: |
15/354696 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14177163 |
Feb 10, 2014 |
9499953 |
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15354696 |
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13187707 |
Jul 21, 2011 |
8684632 |
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14177163 |
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61421102 |
Dec 8, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 27/14 20130101;
E02D 7/02 20130101; G01C 15/004 20130101; G01C 15/00 20130101; E02D
13/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E02D 7/02 20060101
E02D007/02; G01C 15/00 20060101 G01C015/00 |
Claims
1. A method for installing piles, the method comprising: emitting a
first laser having a vertically oriented range spanning a segment
of a vertical plane; emitting a second laser as a horizontal beam
within the vertical plane; detecting the first laser to locate
installation sites horizontally spaced apart within the vertical
plane; and driving piles into terrain at the installation sites,
wherein driving the piles includes causing top end portions of the
individual piles to move into horizontal alignment with the second
laser.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein driving the piles includes
partially driving a given one of the piles and then further driving
the given pile, and wherein the method further comprises detecting
the first laser to determine whether the given pile is plumb after
partially driving the given pile and before further driving the
given pile.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising exerting force against
a sidewall of the given pile to move the given pile into plumb
after partially driving the given pile and before further driving
the given pile.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein exerting force against the
sidewall of the given pile includes striking the given pile with a
handheld implement.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein emitting the first and second
lasers includes emitting the first and second lasers from first and
second laser emitters, respectively, and wherein the first and
second laser emitters are carried by the same housing.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising mounting the housing
onto a top portion of one of the piles.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the first laser to
locate the installation sites horizontally spaced apart within the
vertical plane includes aligning a guide template with the first
laser.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting a length of
the guide template to correspond to a desired horizontal distance
between the installation sites.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising conformably abutting
an end portion of the guide template against a sidewall of a given
one of the piles.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the first
laser along the vertically oriented range.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising viewing a distant
projection of the second laser via a telescope while causing the
top end portions of the individual piles to move into horizontal
alignment with the second laser.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein viewing the distant projection
of the second laser includes viewing the distant projection of the
second laser on a laser target carried by the top end portions of
the individual piles.
13. A laser assembly, comprising: a first laser emitter configured
to emit a first laser having a vertically oriented range spanning a
segment of a vertical plane; a second laser emitter configured to
emit a second laser as a horizontal beam within the vertical plane;
and a housing carrying the first and second laser emitters.
14. The laser assembly of claim 13 wherein the first laser is a
rotating laser.
15. The laser assembly of claim 13, further comprising a telescope
aligned with the second laser emitter, wherein the telescope is
oriented for viewing a distant projection of the second laser.
16. The laser assembly of claim 13, further comprising a pile cap
carrying the housing.
17. A laser system, comprising: a laser assembly including-- a
first laser emitter configured to emit a first laser having a
vertically oriented range spanning a segment of a vertical plane,
and a second laser emitter configured to emit a second laser as a
horizontal beam within the vertical plane; and a laser target
including-- a target surface configured to receive the second
laser, and a pile cap carrying the target surface.
18. The laser system of claim 17, further comprising an elongate
guide template configured to horizontally space apart vertically
oriented piles, the guide template having an adjustable length.
19. The laser system of claim 18, further comprising an elongate
guide template configured to horizontally space apart vertically
oriented piles, wherein the guide template has an adjustable
length.
20. The laser assembly of claim 17 wherein the laser assembly
further comprises a telescope aligned with the second laser
emitter.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/177,163, filed Feb. 10, 2014, now issued as
U.S. Pat. No. 9,499,953, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/187,707, filed Jul. 21, 2011, now issued as
U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,632, which claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/421,102, filed Dec. 8, 2010,
now expired, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A solar panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of solar
cells, also known as photovoltaic cells. The solar panel can be
used as a component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and
supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. The
power that one solar panel can produce is seldom enough to meet
requirements of a home or a business, so the solar panels are
linked together to form a solar panel array. Most solar panel
arrays use an inverter to convert the DC power produced by the
modules into alternating current that can power lights, motors, and
other loads. The solar panels in a solar panel array can be
connected in series to obtain the desired voltage and then the
series coupled groups of panels can be connected in parallel to
allow the system to produce more current.
[0003] For optimum efficiency, the solar panels should be in
perpendicular alignment with the light rays of the sun. However,
since the earth is constantly rotating, a fixed solar panel may be
oriented to be perpendicular to the sun light at approximately noon
each day. Each solar panel in the solar panel array can be attached
to a fixed mount that tilts the solar panel to face due South in
the Northern Hemisphere and conversely, the fixed mount can tilt
the solar panel to face due North in the Southern Hemisphere. The
tilt angle can be varied for season, but if fixed, should be set to
give optimal array output during the peak electrical demand portion
of a typical year.
[0004] In order to improve efficiency, some solar panel arrays can
track the movement of the sun through each day to greatly enhance
energy collection. These tracking systems may move periodically to
optimize the tilt angle so that in the morning the solar panel can
face East and in the afternoon, the solar panel can face West.
Solar panel tracking devices add cost, and require maintenance, but
can also significantly improve the efficiency of the solar panel
array. For large solar panel arrays, the energy gained by using
tracking systems outweighs the added complexity and can increase
efficiency by 30% or more compared to fixed systems.
[0005] Solar panel electrical output is extremely sensitive to
shading. When even a small portion of a solar panel or solar panel
array is shaded, while the remainder is in sunlight, the output
falls dramatically due to internal "short-circuiting" which results
from the electrons reversing course through the shaded portion of
the p-n junction. If the current drawn from the series string of
solar cells in the solar panel is no greater than the current that
can be produced by the shaded cell, the current and power developed
by the string is limited. If enough voltage is available from the
rest of the cells in a string, current will be forced through the
cell by breaking down the junction in the shaded portion. Thus,
instead of adding to the power produced by the solar panel, the
shaded cell(s) in the solar panel absorbs power, turning it into
heat. Since the reverse voltage of a shaded cell is much greater
than the forward voltage of an illuminated cell, one shaded cell
can absorb the power of many other cells in the string,
disproportionately affecting panel output. For example, a shaded
cell may drop 8 volts, instead of adding 0.5 volts, at a particular
current level, thereby absorbing the power produced by 16 other
cells. Therefore, it is extremely important that in a solar panel
array installation none of the panels is shaded at all by an
adjacent solar panel.
[0006] It is desirable to have the solar panel array occupy a
minimum amount of land. However, for the reasons discussed above,
each solar panel must not cast a shadow on any portion of the
adjacent solar panels in order to prevent the short-circuiting
described above. Each of the solar panels in the solar panel array
is mounted to a piling that is driven into the ground and provides
a stable support structure for the solar panel. Thus, the positions
of the pilings determine the positions of the solar panels in the
array of panels. Because the positions of the panels are critical
for space and operating efficiency each piling must be precisely
positioned. A typical array can include 980 to 1,250 foundation
pile.
[0007] In order to position each piling accurately, a survey crew
which can typically include two workers are required to determine
the exact location of each piling. After the piling locations are
determined, a plate lay-out crew may be required to place guild
plates over each piling location. The plate lay-out crew may
require four workers who position and then stake each guild plate
in place at each piling location of the solar panel array. The
staking of the plate can require a significant amount of force to
swing a sledge hammer to drive the stakes in place and can result
in hand injuries. An alignment crew may also be necessary to adjust
the alignment of the pilings. After they are driven.
[0008] The typical foundation of a solar panel array system
consists of 12' to 20' long piles which can be pipe with a circular
cross section, I-beam or other cross sections that can be driven
into the ground using a pile driver. Driving piles, as opposed to
drilling shafts, is advantageous because the soil displaced by
driving the piles compresses the surrounding soil, causing greater
friction against the sides of the piles, thus increasing their
load-bearing capacity. A solar panel can be mounted on each of the
driven piles. A solar array system can have about 1,000 piles per
mega watt. There are other techniques for producing the solar panel
array foundations, but a driven pile is more cost efficient verses
other techniques like poured in place concrete and concrete ballast
system which can be about ten times more expensive.
[0009] One method the piles can be aligned in an array using
stringing lines tape measures. The laser can mark a straight line
that the pilings can be aligned with. Once the laser is used to
identify a point, a string line is pulled to create a reference
line that should be straight along the laser line. The string line
can be stretched across a portion of the solar array land to create
a reference line for aligning the pilings. However, a problem with
string lines is they move in the wind even while under tension. A
cross wind can cause the string line to curve and when pulling a
string line over 100 feet, the line may not be straight. All solar
arrays, the pilings have to be within 1/4 inch of side to side
alignment and within 1/4 inch of the designated height. Setting the
pilings with the string lines and tape may not be able to provide
the required level of accuracy.
[0010] Another method for properly positioning each piling is
surveying every piling point for a solar panel array. After each
survey, each piling point is marked with a nail and ribbon. The
ground crew then installs the guide plates at each piling point.
The surveying and guide plate installation are not only costly but
time consuming as well. In some installations, rain or snow can
occur after the survey making it impossible to keep working because
the survey points are under water or snow. After the guide plates
have been set, an ABI crew installs the piles. What is needed is an
improved system for installing the piles for a solar panel array
that is more accurate and efficient.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0011] The present invention is directed towards an improved method
for accurately and quickly installing pilings in a solar panel
array. A solar panel array can be rectangular in shape with four
corners. Rather than surveying each piling location, only the
corner locations can be surveyed and pilings can be installed at
each corner. Each corner piling can be aligned vertically and be at
a precise height. Once the corner pilings have been installed, a
system can be used to install the remaining pilings in the solar
panel array. The system can comprise a true site laser, a guide
template, a pile driver that includes a hammer target, an aligning
bracket and a hand held receiving target. The true site laser can
include a sight scope, a horizontal laser, a rotation vertical
laser and a battery pack. The guide template can include ends
having fittings that correspond in shape to the piling cross
section, a level sensor, a laser receiver, an adjustable pivot
point and an adjustable wheel. The guide template can be adjustable
in length and height.
[0012] In order to set the pilings, the true site laser can be
mounted on a corner piling in alignment with an adjacent corner
piling. The guide template is set to the proper length and one end
of the guide template can be placed against the corner piling. The
guide template is leveled and rotated about the corner piling into
alignment with the rotating vertical laser of the true sight laser.
Once aligned and leveled, the opposite end of the guide template
indicates the position of the aligned adjacent piling. An ABI pile
driver having a hammer target can be used to drive the new pile
into the ground. The hammer target can be mounted on a high
strength bracket that can withstand the forces of the ABI hammer.
As the pile is driven into the ground, the hammer target will move
in front of the horizontal laser which can appear as a visible dot
on the hammer target. The pile driver can insert the pile until the
laser dot on the target is vertically and horizontally aligned with
the bull's eye of the target.
[0013] The pile driver may not be able to make horizontal
adjustments to the pile and horizontal movement of the pile can
occur for various reasons. For example, a pile may contact a solid
object(s) such as a rock that can cause horizontal deflection of
the pile during the driving process. After the pile is driven into
the ground to the proper height, a hand held target can be placed
on the pile for alignment inspection. If the pile is properly
aligned, the described process can be repeated for the next piling.
However, if there is a horizontal error, the piling will need to be
adjusted. In order to correct this alignment error, the aligning
bracket can be placed over the piling and a horizontal force can be
applied to the aligning bracket. The force applied to the aligning
bracket can cause the piling to move into alignment. Adjustments
can be made until the piling is within the required horizontal
alignment tolerance. Once the piling has been installed and
aligned, the guide template can be placed against the piling and
aligned with the vertical laser to set the next piling in place.
The described process can be repeated until all of the pilings in
the row of the solar array have been installed.
[0014] In an embodiment, the perimeter pilings between the corner
pilings can be installed first. After the perimeter has been
completed, the rows of pilings can be installed sequentially. After
each row is completed, the true sight laser assembly can be moved
to the next row and the same process can be used to install the
array of pilings is complete. By performing the described process,
pilings in a 1,000+ piling array have been installed with an
accuracy of 1/4 inch of side to side alignment and within VI inch
of the designated height.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIGS. 1-2 illustrate front views of embodiments of true
sight lasers;
[0016] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate embodiments of mounting brackets for
securing equipment to pilings;
[0017] FIGS. 6-7 illustrate an embodiment of an offset mounting
bracket for securing equipment to pilings;
[0018] FIGS. 8-11 illustrate embodiments of alignment
templates;
[0019] FIGS. 12-17 illustrate embodiments of end fittings;
[0020] FIGS. 18-20 illustrate an embodiment of a hammer target;
[0021] FIGS. 21-24 illustrate an embodiment of a handheld
target;
[0022] FIGS. 25-28 illustrate an embodiment of an alignment
bracket;
[0023] FIG. 29 illustrates an embodiment of a sequence of piling
installations in an array;
[0024] FIG. 30 illustrates a side view of a piling being driven
into the ground; and
[0025] FIG. 31 illustrates a flow chart for installing pilings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The present invention is directed towards a system and
method for installing pilings which each support a solar panel
which is part of a solar panel array. In an embodiment, the system
used to install the solar array pilings includes: a true sight
laser assembly, a hammer target, a receiving target, an adjustable
guide template, and aligning bracket. These components are used to
align, install and adjust the pilings for a solar panel array.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 1, a front view of a true sight laser
assembly 101 is illustrated. In an embodiment, the true sight laser
assembly 101 comprises: a laser 105 for emitting a laser beam, a
sight scope 107 for a user to view the alignment of the true sight
laser assembly 101, a vertical rotating laser 109 and a battery
pack 111. The laser 105, sight scope 107 and vertical rotating
laser 109 can be mounted in a housing that is attached to a base
plate 121 by one or more adjustment connectors 123 that can be
adjusted so that the base plate 121 is properly aligned with the
laser 105, sight scope 107 and vertical rotating laser 109. In an
embodiment, the adjustment connectors 123 are threaded rods that
can be rotated to adjust the distance between the housing and the
base plate 121. In an embodiment, a locking mechanism can hold the
adjusting mechanisms 123 in place after they have been properly
adjusted. In other embodiments, any other type of alignment
adjustment mechanism can be used.
[0028] In this embodiment, the laser 105, sight scope 107 and
vertical rotating laser 109 will all be in vertical alignment with
each other and all can have controls for fine tune adjustment. For
example, the true sight laser assembly 101 can also have several
fine tune adjustments controls including: a sight scope adjustment
125 for focusing the sight scope 107, a horizontal sight scope
adjustment 127 for adjusting the side to side alignment and a
vertical sight scope adjustment 129 for adjusting the up and down
alignment. The sight scope adjustment 125, horizontal sight scope
adjustment 127 and vertical sight scope adjustment 129 can be
finger controls that allow a user to control the adjustments by
hand. In an embodiment, the system may include locking mechanisms
to prevent the sight scope adjustment 125, horizontal sight scope
adjustment 127 and vertical sight scope adjustment 129 settings
from being changed after they have been properly adjusted.
[0029] The rotating vertical laser 109 may include adjustable
shutters 108 that control the emitted laser beam position. The
laser beam may only be emitted at open portions of the rotating
vertical laser 109 where shutters 108 are not present. By adjusting
the shutters 108, the rotating vertical laser 109 will only emit
the laser beam at specific ranges of angles. These ranges of angles
can correspond to the location(s) of the laser receiver(s) on the
alignment template. For example, the shutters can be adjusted so
the vertical rotating laser is visible to a laser receiver on an
alignment template, a laser receiver on a bottom of piling and a
laser receiver on a top of a piling. By monitoring or checking the
vertical alignment, an operator can verify that the pilings are
being accurately positioned.
[0030] Another embodiment of a true sight laser assembly 131 is
illustrated in FIG. 2. This embodiment includes all of the same
features as the true sight laser assembly 101 as illustrated in
FIG. 1. However, the vertical rotating laser 109 is offset to one
side of the true sight laser assembly 131 so the vertical rotating
laser 109 is not in the same plane as the laser 105. This offset
allows the vertical rotating laser 109 to emit a rotating laser
beam that is offset from the center line of the pilings. Thus,
laser beam emitted by the vertical rotating laser 109 is offset
from the pilings but can still be used by the inventive system for
performing the alignment. The beam from the rotating vertical laser
109 is detected by laser receivers. In this embodiment, the laser
receiver(s) can be offset by the same distance that the vertical
rotating laser 109 is from the piling that it is mounted on.
[0031] In an embodiment, the rotating vertical laser 109 can also
have shutters 108 so the laser can be emitted only at the desired
location(s). For example, the shutters 108 can be adjusted so the
laser beam may be projected 10', 100' or any other distance. In a
preferred embodiment, the laser beam is only directed in the
direction(s) that the beam is needed. The shutters 108 can also
make the vertical laser beam more powerful, giving the illusion of
a solid line. The rotating vertical laser 109 can be precision
calibrated to ensure that it is a vertical plumb line and that the
vertical laser 109 is in line with the horizontal laser 105. The
sight scope 107 can enable the operator to see and adjust the beam
from the horizontal laser 105 to the desired location. The sight
scope 107 can have cross hairs for alignment. The horizontal laser
can be mounted and calibrated to the cross hairs of the sight
scope. In an embodiment, the horizontal laser can be set to
approximately 3.5 inches above the pile.
[0032] The sight scope 107, horizontal laser 105 and vertical laser
109 components can all work together as a single unit. The true
sight laser assembly 101, 131 can also include a battery pack 111
that can be at the bottom portion of the true sight laser unit 101,
131 and can be rechargeable. In an embodiment, the battery pack 111
can hold a 10 hour charge. The battery pack 111 may also have an
adapter that can enable the true sight laser assembly 101, 131 to
run off of a car battery or other electrical power source on the
job site. In other embodiments, the true sight laser assembly 101,
131 can have a remote control which could allow the ABI hammer
operator to turn on the laser beam only when the laser is needed.
This feature would extend the operating time of the battery 111 as
well as the life of the lasers 105, 109.
[0033] Rather than mounting a laser to a tripod, the true sight
laser assembly 101, 131 and other system equipment can be mounted
directly to the top of the pile. With reference to FIGS. 3-5, three
embodiments of the pile mounting bracket are illustrated. Each of
these mounting brackets will have the same universal mounted
bracket found on all building instruments. For round pipe piles the
brackets can have a slightly larger inner diameter round pipe
(sleeve) that can be installed directly over the pile. With
reference to FIG. 3, a cross section view of a mounting bracket 151
on a piling 141 is illustrated. The bracket 151 fits over the
piling 141 and can include a plurality of screws 153 or other
devices that can secure and align the mounting bracket 151 to the
piling 141. The bracket 151 can also include a mounting screw 157
that can engage threads in the base plate of the true sight laser
assembly 101, 131 to secure this unit to the bracket 151. With
reference to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the bracket 161 is
illustrated which also fits over the piling 141. The bracket 161
can have an opening 165 that allows access to the mounting screw
157. A quick clamping mechanism 163 is attached to the bracket 161
over the opening 165 to secure the bracket 161 to the pile 141.
[0034] In alternative embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a
bracket can have an outer diameter pipe that can be inserted into
the inner diameter of the piling 141. In a preferred embodiment,
the outer diameter of the bracket 171 can be a close fit to the
inner diameter of the piling 141 so that the true sight laser
assembly 101, 131 can be held in alignment without having to make
adjustments to fasteners. Although the brackets 151, 161, 171 have
been illustrated with round pipe pilings, similar brackets can be
used with other non-circular cross section pilings such as I-Beams
or any other cross section pilings. In these embodiments, the
brackets would be mounted around or within portions of the piling
cross section and secured to the piling in manners similar to
brackets 151, 161, 171. Each bracket will keep the lasers of the
true sight laser assembly 101, 131 properly aligned on the piling
141.
[0035] In an embodiment, as discussed above, it can be useful to
have the true sight laser assembly and laser targets offset from
the center line of the pilings. With reference to FIG. 6, an offset
bracket 471 used with a handheld target 421 is shown and in FIG. 7,
an offset bracket 471 used with a true sight laser assembly 101 is
shown. The brackets 471 can include a cap section 425 that is
placed over the tops of the pilings 141 and offset plates 475 that
are secured to the cap sections 425 with a fastener 479. A quick
clamping mechanism 163 can be attached to the bracket 161 over the
opening 165 to secure the cap sections 425 of the offset brackets
471 to the piles 141. The true sight laser assembly 101 and
handheld target 421 are mounted at equal distances off the
centerline of the pilings 141. This configuration allows the laser
light to be transmitted around any adjacent pilings 141. Thus, if
there are any pilings between the true sight laser assembly 101 and
handheld target 421 these pilings 141 will not interfere with the
alignment detection process. In contrast, if the true sight laser
assembly 101 is aligned with the piling, the beam of the rotating
vertical or the horizontal laser may be in line with the row of
pilings and the laser beams only be used to determine the alignment
of an adjacent piling.
[0036] With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, another component of the
inventive system for installing pilings is the adjustable guide
template 201. FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the adjustable guide
template 201 and FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the adjustable
guide template 201 between two adjacent pilings 141. The adjustable
guide template 201 can also have an adjustable pivot point 211 at
one portion and a stand structure 214 on the opposite portion so
the structure can be supported above uneven terrain, water and
snow. The adjustable guide template 201 can also include wheel 237
and handles 217 that are coupled to the guide template 201 with
posts 216. A user can move the guide template 201 into the proper
position using the handles 217. In an embodiment, the guide
template 201 can include a level 213 that indicates when the
structure is level to ensure proper pile to pile spacing. The level
213 can be a magnetic torpedo level that's mounted on the template
adjustable guide template 201. The adjustable guide template 201
can also include a mounting bracket 215 for a laser receiver or
white board target that can be used for alignment.
[0037] The adjustable guide template 201 can include telescoping
tubular structure 203 that is adjustable in length. The adjustable
guide template 201 can be circular or square cross section tubing.
In an embodiment, the tubular structure 203 can have approximately
a 11/4 inch inner diameter (I.D.) to a 11/4 inch outer diameter
(O.D.). The adjustable guide template 201 may be adjustable between
9 feet and 18 feet in length or a longer/shorter length, depending
upon the required distance between pilings. The telescoping tubular
structure 203 can also include a length locking mechanism. For
example, the telescoping tubular structure 203 can have a series of
holes 205 that extend along the length of the guide template 201.
When the telescoping portions can be adjusted to a desired length
and a locking pin 207 can be placed through the aligned holes 205
to lock the telescoping tubular structure 203 to the approximate
desired length. The series of holes may be spaced every 6'' so that
the length is not precisely adjusted.
[0038] A fine length adjustment mechanism can be placed at one or
both ends of the telescoping tubular structure 203. In an
embodiment, the fine length adjustment mechanism can be a threaded
end fitting 209 that can be rotated axially relative to the
telescoping tubular structure 203 to accurately adjust the length
of the adjustable guide template 201. For example, the threaded
mechanism can include a 3/4'' coarse female fitting at the end(s)
of the telescoping tubular structure 203 and the end fittings 209
can have a 3/4''.times.10'' threaded rod and a portion that fits
around a portion of the piling design 141 being used for the solar
panel array. In an embodiment, the end fittings 209 can be changed
to accommodate pilings having different cross sections and
dimensions.
[0039] With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, in another embodiment,
the adjustable guide template 221 can be adjustable in both length
and height. Rather than being a straight structure, the telescoping
tubular structure 223 can include both horizontal sections 231 and
vertical sections 233 that are adjustable in length. In an
embodiment, the length of the adjustable guide template 221 can
range from 9 to 18 feet and the height can range from about 2 to 4
feet. The length and height of the telescoping tubular structure
223 can be adjusted and locked to the desired dimensions with pin
207 and hole 205 locking mechanisms and the threaded rods of the
end fittings described above or any other similar length adjusting
mechanism.
[0040] The raised center of the adjustable guide template 221
allows a user to more easily move the structure. In order to assist
the user, the adjustable guide template 221 can be supported by a
pivot point 211 and a wheel 237. Handles 217 can allow the user to
rotate the adjustable guide template 221 about the pivot point 211
as illustrated in FIG. 8 into proper alignment. A laser receiver
can be mounted on the mounting bracket 215 and the user can
visually determine when the adjustable guide template 221 is
properly aligned with the rotating vertical laser of the true site
laser assembly. When the adjustable guide template 221 is properly
positioned, the adjacent piling 141 can be driven into the ground
at the designated location.
[0041] The adjustable guide templates 201 and 221 illustrated in
FIGS. 8-11 can have different types of end fittings 209. With
reference to FIGS. 12-17, three examples of end fittings are
illustrated. FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of an end fitting 259
used with a circular pipe piling. The end fitting 259 can have a
semi-circular portion 261 and a threaded portion 263 that can be
secured to the adjustable guide templates. The inner diameter of
the semi-circular portion 261 can be a very close fit to the outer
diameter of the piling which may have an outer diameter of 4
inches, 6 inches or any other suitable diameter. FIG. 13
illustrates a side view of the end fitting 259 used with a circular
pipe piling.
[0042] FIGS. 14 illustrates a top view and FIG. 15 illustrates a
side view of an end fitting 269 used with an I-Beam or rectangular
cross section piling. The end fitting 269 can have a "U" shaped
portion 271 that fits closely around three sides of the I beam or
rectangular cross section piling and a threaded portion 263, such
as a 6 inch cross section I-Beam. However, in some embodiments, it
may be desirable to have a looser fit with the piling. For example,
if there is any rotational misalignment with the piling, a tight
fitting end fitting 269 will cause the adjustable guide template to
also be out of alignment. In an embodiment, the connection between
the "U" shaped portion 271 and the threaded portion 263 may not be
rigid and may allow some movement so that the alignment of the
adjustable guide template can be properly aligned.
[0043] In some solar panel arrays, a piling may not be required for
each space in a row. Thus, rather than installing a piling, the
user can simply mark the point where a piling is not going to be
installed and move on to the next piling location. FIG. 16
illustrates a top view and FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of a
location marking end fitting 279 that includes a marker point 283
that is connected to a ring 383 by a plurality of spokes 285. When
using the location marking end fitting 279, the adjustable guide
templates is aligned with the prior piling and the user can press
the marker point 283 into the ground to mark the location. The user
can then use this point as a reference mark for the next piling
location. It is also possible that a mix of different types of
pilings can be used in the same array. The ground mark can be used
as the location for installing another piling structure, as well as
for predrilling.
[0044] When the piling location is determined, a pile driver is
used to insert the pile into the ground. The true sight laser
assembly is mounted on the adjacent piling. With reference to FIGS.
18-20, an embodiment of a hammer target 401 is illustrated. In
order to detect the horizontal position of the pile being
installed, a target 401 can be attached to the hammer of the pile
driver. As the pile is driven into the ground, the horizontal laser
of the true sight laser assembly is directed towards what will be
the upper end of the piling being driven into the ground. The
horizontal laser will be visible on the target 401 as the piling is
driven into the soil close to the installation height. In an
embodiment, the target 401 will have cross hairs 403 or a bull's
eye marking which indicates the aligned position of the piling. It
can be difficult to control the horizontal alignment of the piling
during the driving process. However, the hammer force can be
stopped when the horizontal laser is vertically aligned with the
target 401.
[0045] FIG. 18 illustrates a top view of the hammer target 401
which shows a mounting bracket 405 for attaching the target 401 to
the hammer and a shade portion 407 for protecting the cross hairs
of the target 401 from being exposed to sun to improve the
visibility of the horizontal laser on the target 401. FIG. 19
illustrates a front view showing the cross hairs 403 on a white
board 409. FIG. 20 shows a cross section of the hammer target 401
which can include a 3/4 inch thick plywood layer 411 and a
whiteboard 409 that has the cross hairs 403. In an embodiment, the
hammer target can be 401 can include an 8 inch.times.16 inch target
that's made out of white board. In other embodiments, the target
401 can be any other shape and any other suitable marking can be
placed on the target 401 for showing the horizontal laser. For
example, the bull's eye 403 can be mounted on a sticker that can be
attached to the target 401. In other embodiments, Velcro, glue,
screws, fasteners or any other suitable mechanism can be used to
attach the white board 409 to the target 401. The hammer target 401
can be mounted to the side of the clamping jaws of the pile driver.
Mounted to the bracket will be `A" plywood to make up the center
frame. We can then screw an interchangeable white board target as
needed. It will also have a shading hood for easy visibility of the
laser during sunny periods.
[0046] In yet another embodiment, the hammer of the pile driver can
include an integrated target. For example, the target portion of
the hammer can be painted with a target or a target can be attached
to the hammer. Alternatively, white squares could be painted on the
jaws of the hammer. However, the target area of the hammer may not
be flat making the laser on the target difficult to see. It can
also be hard to keep the hammer clean during operation and after
making multiple marks, the integrated hammer target may not be as
accurate as using a separate hammer target device.
[0047] With reference to FIGS. 21 and 22, after the piling has been
driven into the ground, a hand held target 421 can be placed on the
piling 141 for a final alignment check. The handheld target 421 can
include a cap section 425 and a target section 427. The cap section
425 can have a close fit with the top of the piling 141 and may
include an adjustment mechanism to adjust the fit. In this example,
screws 429 are used as the adjustment mechanism. The target section
427 can include a tube creating a recessed volume 431 that blocks
sunlight and a target 435 such as a white board having cross hairs,
a bull's eye or other target pattern located within the recessed
volume 431. In an embodiment, the target section 427 can include a
4 inch diameter cylinder. The handheld target 421 is placed on the
piling and if the piling is in proper alignment, the horizontal
laser should be aligned with the target 435. If there is an
alignment error, the piling can be adjusted. The pile driver can be
used to further insert the piling 141 into the ground or pull the
piling 141 up to the proper height. Because the handheld target 421
is carried by an operator, it can be made of light weight material
and have a belt clip for easy transportation and access.
[0048] In other embodiments, the hand held target can have a
different design and construction. With reference to FIG. 23, the
hand held target 420 may have a ribbed insertion portion 422 that
fits within the piling 141. The ribbed insertion portion 422 can
include a plurality of ribs that are arranged in a tapered manner
and can be made of a flexible material. With reference to FIG. 24,
the hand held target can have an offset design that places the
target section 427 out of alignment with the piling 141. In this
configuration, the horizontal laser can be parallel but offset from
the pilings 141 as shown in FIG. 7. The hand held target
embodiments shown in FIGS. 21-24 can be made of plastic, metal or
any other suitable material.
[0049] With reference to FIGS. 25-28, an embodiment of an alignment
bracket 441 is illustrated. If there are horizontal alignment
errors, an alignment bracket 441 can be used to adjust the piling
horizontally. The illustrated embodiment of the alignment bracket
441 can include a mounting plate 445 that can be attached to the
ABI hammer and a cap section 443 that can be placed over the
piling. In this example, the cap section 443 is a circular pipe
used for a round cross section pipe piling. In other embodiments, a
cap section 443 that corresponds to any other piling cross section
shape can be used. FIG. 25 shows a back view of the bracket 441 and
mounting plate 445 that includes holes 447 for securing the
alignment bracket 441 to the hammer. FIG. 26 shows a front view of
the alignment bracket 441 that shows the open lower portion 446 and
the enclosed upper portion of the cap section 443. FIG. 27 shows a
side view cross section of the alignment bracket 441 and FIG. 28
shows a top view of the alignment bracket. The alignment bracket
441 is illustrated as having a circular cap section 443 which can
have a 4 inch, 6 inch or any other diameter. In other embodiments,
the cap section 443 can have a rectangular cross section suitable
for I-beams or any other types of pilings.
[0050] In some cases, the pile can contact a subterranean rock or
hard soil that can cause the piling to deflect horizontally. When
the direction and magnitude of the alignment error is determined,
the alignment bracket 441 can be placed on the piling with the
mounting plate 445 substantially perpendicular to direction that
the piling needs to be moved. The mounting plate 445 can be
attached to an ABI hammer that can move the alignment bracket 441
in the direction to correct the piling alignment. Once the piling
has been adjusted, the handheld target can be placed on the piling
again for a final position check. If necessary, the described
process can be repeated.
[0051] With reference to FIG. 29, a simplified layout of a solar
panel piling array 480 installation sequence is illustrated. In
this example, the array 480 can have a rectangular shape and the
corner pilings 472 can be located by a survey or other positioning
method. The inventive system can be used to first locate and
install pilings 473 between the set corner pilings 472. In this
example, the pilings 473 on the perimeter of the array are set
first. The system can then be used to install the pilings 473 in
the interior of the array 480. After an interior row of pilings 473
is installed, the system can install the next row of pilings 473
until the solar panel piling array 479 is completed. By performing
the described process, pilings in a 1,000+ piling array have been
installed with an accuracy of 1/4 inch of side to side alignment
and within 1/4 inch of the designated height.
[0052] With reference to FIG. 30, in an embodiment, the process for
installing the pilings is performed by mounting the true sight
laser assembly 101 on a pile 141. The position of the true sight
laser 101 can have adjustments and can be placed along the center
line of the pile 141 or can be offset as needed. The handheld
target 421 can be placed at the other end of the row of piles 141
that will be the same height off the top of the pile 141 as the
true sight laser. The laser operator can then look through the
sight scope and adjust the horizontal laser beam 561 to the bull's
eye on the handheld target 421 at the other end of the row. With
the horizontal laser aligned with the bull's eye, the rotating
vertical laser beam 563 may automatically be in line with the
horizontal laser beam 561. In this illustration, the pilings 141
are mounted on a sloped surface 560.
[0053] After the true sight laser assembly 101 is secured to the
piling 141 and the lasers 561, 563 are aligned, the handheld target
421 can be removed from the piling 141 at the end of the row. The
alignment template 201 can be used to position the next piling 141
in the row of pilings 141. A bull's eye mark or a bull's eye
sticker can be on the target board and the hammer target 401 can be
mounted to the hammer 404. At this point, the pile driver such as
an ABI hammer 404 can be used to drive the pile 141 into the ground
560. The pile driver 404 can start with a first row of piles going
off of the four survey corner points to complete the solar array
grid which can include about 1,000 pile insertion points. With no
pile insertion points between any two piles, an installer can make
the proper calculation for the correct distance between adjacent
pilings. An adjustable alignment template 201 can be adjusted to
the calculated length. The alignment template 201 can be placed
against the set piling 141 and the installer can move the alignment
template 201 into alignment with the rotating vertical laser beam
563 which can be adjusted to only exit the true sight laser
assembly 101 within a limited angle range 565 by adjusting the
shutters. The alignment template 201 can have a laser receiver 218
to detect the vertical laser beam 563. Based upon the laser
receiver 218 reading, the installer can aligning template 201 and
identify the correct starting position to drive the piling 141. A
bobcat or ABI operator can then put the pile 141 into the correct
location. During the pile driving process, the operator can also
monitor the horizontal laser beam 561 intersection with the hammer
target 401 that will be visible to the naked eye. If properly
installed, the horizontal laser 561 will be visible at the center
of the hammer target at the finished pile position. The hammer
target 401 and horizontal laser 561 allows the operator to be
precise in the execution of pile driving. Since the ABI operator
can be able to see the hammer target 401, adjustments can be made
while driving the pile 141.
[0054] In contrast to the prior art method for pile driving, a
ground operator no longer has to be in a hazardous location or have
to hold the receiver and directing the ABI operator to move the
pile up and down. In the prior art methods, the operator also had
no way of telling if the pile was in line and parallel with the
other piles. The inventive process can be up to 10 times faster
than prior art pile driving methods.
[0055] FIG. 31 illustrates a flowchart describing an embodiment of
a solar panel array piling installation process. The four corners
of the array can be surveyed and the corner pilings can be
installed at the surveyed locations (block 501). The true sight
laser assembly can be secured to one of corner pilings with the
lasers aligned with another corner piling (block 503). The
alignment guide template can be placed against the corner piling
and aligned with the rotating vertical laser of the true sight
laser assembly (block 504). The guide template can then be used to
locate the position of the next piling and the next pile can be
driven in at the designated location (block 505). The horizontal
laser will appear on the hammer target and the operators will check
for vertical alignment with the target (block 507). If the pile is
not vertically aligned with the target, the pile driver can make
vertical adjustments by further inserting or pulling the piling up
(block 509).
[0056] Once the vertical alignment is good, the pile driver is
stopped and a handheld target is placed on the piling (block 511).
The operators can check the vertical alignment of the horizontal
laser on the handheld target (block 512). If the horizontal laser
is not vertically aligned, the pile driver can be used to make
vertical adjustments to the pile (block 509). If the pile is
vertically aligned, the horizontal alignment of the piling can be
checked (block 513). If the horizontal alignment is off, the
alignment bracket can be placed on the piling and the required
horizontal adjustments can be made (block 515). If the horizontal
alignment is accurate, the operators can move on to begin
installing the next piling (block 517). This process will continue
until the installation of the row of pilings has been completed
(block 519). If the row is complete, the true sight assembly is
moved to the next row of pilings (block 521). The true sight
assembly is attached to the first piling of the next row and the
process continues until the array of pilings is completely
installed.
[0057] Yet another embodiment, the horizontal laser can be attached
to a piling at one end of the row and a vertical rotating laser can
be attached to the piling at the opposite end of the row. Using the
same described process, the guide template can be placed against a
set piling and aligned with the vertical laser to indicate the
position of the next piling. The pile driver can insert the next
pile into the surface until the horizontal laser is aligned with
the hammer target. The hand held target can be used to check the
alignment of the piling and the adjustment bracket can be used to
make horizontal adjustments.
[0058] An improvement of the inventive system is the elimination of
almost all of the survey points and guard plates in a large mega
watt sized solar array. This will result in a saving of a survey
crew of two men, four man plate lay-out crew and aligning crew. A
typical solar panel array can have between 980 and 1,250 pilings.
An example of a solar panel array can have 1,000 piles. Using the
prior art survey method, a survey crew in 2011 may cost about
$6,000 per mega watt, $10,000 for plate layout, and $5,000 for an
aligning crew. As well as the overhead cost of the plates at $38.00
each, stakes, hotels, per diem, trucks, airline tickets. This
technology would eliminate 95% of survey points and 100% of plates.
This will result in a savings of over $25,000 per Mega Watt. The
United States installed about 1 giga watt of solar panel arrays
(1,000 mega watts) in 2010 and is expected to build 2 giga watts in
2011 and another 15 giga watts by 2015. The inventive process could
save about $25 million per giga watt.
[0059] The present disclosure, in various embodiments, includes
components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus
substantially as depicted and described herein, including various
embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill
in the art will understand how to make and use the present
disclosure after understanding the present disclosure. The present
disclosure, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and
processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described
herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence
of such items as may have been used in previous devices or
processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and/or
reducing cost of implementation. Rather, as the flowing claims
reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of any
single foregoing disclosed embodiment.
* * * * *